Tag Archives: Live Events

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with a few thoughts on juggling time between multiple basketball games.

Compared to other sports, we’re in an enviable position when it comes to basketball games. There are two developers working on sim-oriented titles, and while one game is in the lead, the other is steadily improving and becoming a viable option. We’ve also seen the resurrection of the arcade basketball genre, providing us with a brand new alternative to the sim experience. Throw in a wonderful retro concept in the form of Basketball Classics, and we’ve got quite a few options these days as far as the virtual hardwood is concerned.

That does present a certain problem, of course. There are only so many hours in a day, and only so many of them that we can commit to video games. With so much to do in modern basketball games, it can be difficult to spend ample time with each of them if you do decide to buy more than one. As far as problems go, this is admittedly very low stakes, and indeed a desirable one to have, but those tougher issues in life are beyond the scope of a website dedicated to basketball gaming! In any event, if you’ve invested in more than one basketball game this year and you’re trying to get the most out of each, know that you’re not alone.

Episode #258 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We’re back on the air after taking an unexpected break last week, giving us a fortnight of news to discuss. Join Arcane and I as we chat about the recent developments in basketball gaming including female Create-a-Player in NBA Live 19, the first developer blog for NBA 2K19, and the big announcement regarding NBA 2K Playgrounds 2.

On this week’s show…

EA Sports has announced the addition of Female Create-a-Player in NBA Live 19. It’s a cool addition to The One, though predictably, there have been some childish reactions to the news.

While we still want to hear about the NBA side of things in NBA Live 19, a few other interesting tidbits have been revealed, including court customisation. A recent interview also acknowledged the possibility of NBA Live returning to the PC platform.

The first NBA 2K19 developer blog delivered some great news about MyLEAGUE, MyGM, and MyLEAGUE Online. While we’ve been conditioned to take developer blogs with a grain of salt, it seems that a lot of great work has gone into the franchise experience this year.

Looking back at last year’s preview season, we expect the flow of information to be steadier from here on out. We talk a little about some of the details we want to hear about.

We now know that 2K Sports will be publishing NBA Playgrounds 2, now titled NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. It remains to be seen what it’ll mean for the game, and we do have some concerns. Also, we’d like to see EA bring NBA Jam back.

Episode #258 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with a quick chat about some recent NBA news, including Dwyane Wade’s future and new team branding.

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Although an official announcement has yet to be made, a few more tidbits about NBA Live 19 have been revealed. The information comes courtesy of Shacknews – who have posted an extended preview of the game complete with raw gameplay footage – and influencers including Will OS and NBA Live Girl. A few other gameplay videos, and videos discussing details that have leaked, have also been posted.

It seems that we’ll be able to create our own custom courts in The One this year, in a manner very similar to the hometown blacktop in NBA Street Homecourt, as well as the custom courts in NBA 2K’s MyTEAM and 2K Pro-Am modes. More details are no doubt forthcoming in an official announcement and preview. Speaking of courts, the video from Shacknews also provides us with as glimpse of the custom Joel Embiid court, which was listed as one of the pre-order bonuses.

The video also confirms that quarters have been added to games in The Streets, which were previously all played under the “First to 21” win condition. In addition to uncut gameplay, it also provides an overview (and naturally, spoilers) of The Rise, the story that provides the backdrop to The One in NBA Live 19. The hour long video runs from the beginning of the story at Quai 54, through the Draft Combine and concluding at the NBA Draft itself.

Also of interest, Sports Gamers Online recently had a chance to interview NBA Live 19 Creative Director, Connor Dougan. Connor was actually asked about a PC version of NBA Live, and while he confirmed it isn’t happening this year, he expressed his support for the idea, even mentioning modding. It was cool to hear, so be sure to check out the interview for his full comments!

With NBA Live 19 just six weeks away, more information should hopefully be coming through fairly steadily. We’ll certainly try to stay on top of the news, but for now, check out some of the videos below, and feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts. As always, we also invite you to join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

After teasing a special announcement with a short video featuring the Los Angeles Sparks’ Candace Parker, EA Sports has revealed that NBA Live 19 will feature female Create-a-Player functionality. Although the WNBA was featured in its own Play Now mode in NBA Live 18, this marks the first time that NBA Live will allow gamers to create female players.

As explained in an article over on Game Informer, female avatars will be playable in LIVE Run, LIVE Events, and The Streets World Tour, using the same progression system as their male counterparts. They will not be playable in The League however, and at this time, there is no equivalent WNBA career mode. Creative Director Ryan Santos has confirmed that it’s something that has been discussed, and may be in the game as soon as next year.

Although there won’t be a dedicated career or season mode for the WNBA, the league’s players will still have a presence in The Streets, along with any female ballers that gamers create. Their inclusion in the mode was hinted at in the very first teaser for NBA Live 19.

EA has also released a new gameplay trailer to celebrate the announcement. Watch it below, or catch it here on YouTube. A few new screenshots have been released, which you can also find below.

What are your thoughts on the latest development regarding NBA Live 19? Would you be interested in more WNBA content, such as a career or season mode? How is the game shaping up? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion taking place here in the NLSC Forum.

Episode #254 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and myself as we discuss the cover leak for the Standard Edition of NBA 2K19, the situation with NBA Playgrounds 2, and our plans for this year’s games. Our Week in Basketball Gaming also returns, along with some other fun topics.

On this week’s show…

It seems the NBA 2K19 Standard Edition cover has been leaked, with Giannis Antetokoumpo being the featured player. We discuss the choice, and the situation with the Early Tip-Off Weekend being exclusive to the 20th Anniversary Edition.

NBA Playgrounds 2 was indefinitely postponed a month ago, and we still haven’t heard anything further. Is there any big announcement that could feasibly make up for the lack of hype?

What are our plans for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 when they’re released in September?

HAWK23 has made a welcome return to the community, and is currently looking at fixing up the links for the Ultimate Base Roster for NBA 2K12 and NBA 2K14 PC.

We reflect once again on our own history with modding, and why we don’t mod as much as we used to. We’re not shutting the door on the idea, though.

If an NBL 2K or NBL Live game were ever to be released, what would it be like? We have some fun with the idea.

We wrap up Episode #254 of the NLSC Podcast with a short discussion of the NBA Draft, and the (latest) Dwight Howard trade.

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #251 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we follow up on some more snippets about NBA Live’s future, and discuss a couple of topics suggested by listeners. We also catch up on what we’ve been doing on the virtual hardwood, and talk about the 2018 NBA Finals.

On this week’s show…

A recent Polygon article has gone into a little more detail about the future of NBA Live, with additional quotes from Seann Graddy. We discuss what he might have meant when talking about the goal of appealing to a “new, younger demographic”.

What are our expectations in terms of demos for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19? Are they likely to be any different to recent demos and The Prelude DLC?

Is it likely that we’ll ever see a Free-to-Play basketball game, similar to Fortnite?

Our Week in Basketball Gaming included a couple of tough but satisfying victories in Ultimate Team, as well as success in LIVE Events. We also spent time with The One, checked out the community uploads in MyLEAGUE, and played with the All-Time Teams.

We wrap up Episode #251 of the NLSC Podcast with a quick recap of the Conference Finals, and our thoughts on the 2018 NBA Finals so far.

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #232 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss some promising news regarding NBA Jam, the appeal of playing and modding old games, our past week in basketball gaming, and recent events in the real NBA.

On this week’s show…

Legendary NBA Jam announcer Tim Kitzrow posted a Tweet suggesting that a new NBA Jam game might be on the horizon. With the game celebrating its 25th Anniversary, a rare version may also be made available (licensing issues permitting).

If there is a new NBA Jam game, what features and improvements would we like to see?

When it comes to video games, it’s fun to revisit old favourites. It’s something many of us have done from time to time, but what is the appeal of playing – and indeed, modding – old basketball games?

Our Week in Basketball Gaming has been all about NBA Live 18, from LIVE Events and The League to Ultimate Team. We also talk about whether we need a bit of an extended break from NBA 2K18.

We wrap up Episode #232 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBA chatter, including the Cleveland Cavaliers’ recent struggles, some thoughts on a few other teams, and the latest All-Star voting results.

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #231 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, Kenny, and myself as we tip off a new season of the NLSC Podcast by catching up on all of the NBA Live 18, NBA 2K18, and NBA Playgrounds news from the holiday season, and look ahead to another year of basketball gaming.

On this week’s show…

LIVESTRIKE events have been keeping gamers busy in NBA Live 18 over the holidays. They’ve even offered the opportunity to win some real swag!

The new City Edition uniforms have been unveiled, and are now available in NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18. What do we think of Nike’s new secondary alternate jerseys?

Patches 1.07 and 1.08 have resolved a handful of issues in NBA 2K18. Some new historical players have also been added to the roster.

Game Informer has named NBA 2K18 as the Sports Game of the Year for the second year running. The response from the community has been…less enthusiastic.

With the NBA 2K League qualifiers underway, we talk about the controversy regarding the number of spots that are actually open to members of the community.

An Enhanced Edition of NBA Playgrounds has been released for the Nintendo Switch, alleviating the problems Saber Interactive has been having in pushing through new content on the platform.

Our Week in Basketball Gaming included what may be our last session of 2K Pro-Am in NBA 2K18, online Head-to-Head in NBA Live 18, and an assortment of LIVE Events. We also talk about our basketball gaming plans for 2018.

We wrap up Episode #231 of the NLSC Podcast with a discussion of some recent achievements by our fellow Australians in the NBA.

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

A new patch (1.09) has come through for NBA Live 18. The relatively small update is available for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and should download automatically as long as you have an active Internet connection. If you encounter any issues, try restarting your console.

There aren’t any official patch notes as yet, but it’s quite likely that the update simply adds compatibility for the forthcoming LIVESTRIKE Events. From December 19th-25th, gamers will have an opportunity to earn in-game gear that they may have missed during the previous LIVESTRIKE events.

Furthermore, by earning the in-game clothing from Undefeated, BAPE, and Pink Dolphin, and submitting a screenshot of your player wearing it, you can enter the Outfit of the Day Sweepstakes to win some real gear. Please note that the sweepstakes are only open to US residents. Full terms and conditions can be found here.

If any further patch notes are provided, we’ll be sure to post them as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can check out a full update history for NBA Live 18 here in our Wiki. Feel free to discuss the patch and the LIVESTRIKE events in the comments section below, as well as in our NBA Live 18 Forum.

Episode #228 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Arcane and I are back on the air after some more technical difficulties last week, but with any luck, we shouldn’t have any similar interruptions moving forward. In the meantime, join us as we catch up on the past couple of weeks in NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18 news, and share our latest basketball gaming experiences.

On this week’s show…

The release of Star Wars: Battlefront II has led to some crossover content in NBA Live 18. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but some of the gear is pretty cool.

We now know what LIVESTRIKE entails. A series of Live Events will be available for a short period of time, providing premium content drops featuring exclusive gear.

It seems that we’ll be getting more than just gear, as EA Sports has also teased some other new content for NBA Live 18. Will it be a 3v3 mode, as currently rumoured?

Roster updates seem to have taken a back seat in NBA Live 18, which is less than ideal given the lack of roster editing.

Patch 1.05 is out now for the PC and Xbox One versions of NBA 2K18. We also wonder whether a hotfix has come through, resolving lock-up issues in The Neighborhood.

Revenue from microtransactions has increased 57% in NBA 2K18. The question is, are gamers spending the money because they support the business model, or simply out of necessity?

NBA 2K18 has been nominated for a Sports Game of the Year award. Would it be our pick?

Our Week in Basketball Gaming has included some very satisfying wins in 2K Pro-Am, a lot of progress in MyCAREER, and Live Events in NBA Live 18.

We wrap up Episode #228 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBA discussion. Apologies in advance to Boston Celtics fans for jinxing the team.

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

We now know what LIVESTRIKE entails for NBA Live 18. As previously speculated, it is indeed a series of Live Events and content releases, providing gamers with an opportunity to earn new player gear and clothing to wear in The Streets. The events will be available for a limited time, and represent EA Sports’ partnerships with premium brands.

Introducing EA SPORTS NBA LIVE LIVESTRIKE, the most exclusive form of content releases in NBA LIVE. Unlike traditional content or game updates, a LIVESTRIKE is an unannounced content drop containing rare Live Event challenges, premium in-game apparel, shoes, traits, and more. A LIVESTRIKE is available for limited time and in limited quantities, so keep an eye out for news regarding the latest drops across official NBA LIVE channels.

The first event is still available, but will be expiring very soon, so get in quick if you want to earn the gear that’s currently on offer. Please note that it is just the first event that is scheduled between now and December 12th.

For the next week, Undefeated gear will be available in LIVESTRIKE events. From November 28th to December 5th, Bape streetwear will be on offer. From December 5th through to the 12th, you’ll find Pink Dolphin gear in the reward crates. Check out a trailer for the events below, or catch it here on YouTube if you can’t see the embedded video.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as here in the NBA Live 18 section of the NLSC Forum.

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with a few thoughts on the recent Star Wars: Battlefront II events that were available in NBA Live 18.

As you may know, EA Sports recently introduced some crossover content in its sports titles, promoting the upcoming release of Star Wars: Battlefront II. For NBA Live 18, this took the form of Live Events challenges, all of which take place on a fictional Star Wars-themed court (located in Orlando, of course), with various Battlefront II-inspired gear and accessories available in the reward crates. As it stands, there’s currently a last call for the Battlefront II Challenge, giving gamers one final chance to earn some Inferno Squad-themed gear for their players to wear in The Streets.

I must admit that with all the grinding I’ve been doing to improve my NBA 2K18 MyPLAYER for 2K Pro-Am, I haven’t taken part in as many Live Events in NBA Live 18 as I’d like. However, having caught the trailer for the Battlefront II events, I wanted to make sure that I at least played a game or two before the promotion was over. The fictional court certainly looked cool, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to stock up on some extra gear for my player to wear in The Streets. As such, I jumped online in NBA Live 18 last week, and managed to take part in a few games.

Patch 1.03 has come through for both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of NBA Live 18. A new in-game update is also available, adding new content and Live Event challenges. All of the latest updates should download automatically as long as your PS4 or X1 is connected to the Internet. If you encounter any problems, try restarting your console.

The most significant additions in these updates are probably the new Nike Statement jerseys (formerly known as alternate or secondary uniforms) for all 30 NBA teams. At launch, NBA Live 18 only featured the Association and Icon jerseys, formerly designated as the home and away uniforms respectively. Notably, a few home/away uniform assignments are actually incorrect in NBA Live 18, as not every team has chosen to wear their white Association jerseys for home games this season.

A new Celebrations Crate has also been added to The One. As the name suggests, it includes a selection of ten celebration animations for your player. The Crate will cost 12,500 Reward Points, which are earned through playing The One, LIVE Run, and the Pro-Am Tour. New Live Events have been added, including “Fear the Beard” and “What If: Melo Traded”. Finally, new rosters have also been pushed through, however a lot of recent signings are still unaccounted for at this time. We’ll be looking to compile some roster feedback in the Forum, to send along to the development team.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. I’ve also set up a discussion and information topic for the NBA Live 18 title updates here in our Forum, as well as an update history resource here in our Wiki. If you’d like to check out some screenshots of a few of the new Statement jerseys in NBA Live 18, see below.